This invention relates to a new and improved blood oxygenator device, and more specifically to a device which is inexpensive, easy to control and results in a reduction of embolii and hemolysis.
Blood oxygenators presently on the market have use in cardiovascular work and in research. Many of these devices have the drawback in that for oxygen flow rates of 3-8 liters/minute, the relation between O.sub.2 uptake and blood flow varies in a non linear manner which changes rapidly with increasing O.sub.2 flow rates.
Consequently, small changes in oxygen concentration at elevated flow rates will produce marked changes in the CO.sub.2 /O.sub.2 respiratory quotient ratio which is optimally about 0.8; significant departure from the 0.8 value will adversely affect the overall performance of an oxygenator.
It would be desireable to provide an oxygenator that obtains blood cooling and warming efficiencies which are comparable to those of the prior art, but at much less expense. Also, it would be desireable to reduce hemolysis and embolii formation by a combination of lower O.sub.2 inlet flows and more uniform O.sub.2 bubble formation. Furthermore, an oxygenator is required in which operation of the overall system results in a fairly constant CO.sub.2 /O.sub.2 relationship over the desired range of oxygenation flow rates (e.g. 1-8 liters/min.), which would permit the device to be controlled easier when varying oxygen levels at the inlet sparger.